Combination step-ladder.



A. O. TANNENBERG.

COMBINATION STEP LADDER.

APPLIOATION FILED-00125, 1911.

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

meter 0. TAK'NENB'ER'G, or OAKLANi), cAL'IroRNIA.

coiviBI'nArIoN sine-LADDER.

Specification of Letter Patent.

Patented ov. 1 1, 191 3.

Application filed October 25, 1911. Serial No. 656,705.

To alt whom it may comer-n:

Be it known that 1, AUGUST 0. TANNEN- BERG ,,J. citizen of the United States, residing at 1108 Thirty-sixth avenue, Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented a new and useful Combination Step-Ladder, of which the following is a specification in such full and clear terms as will enable those skilled inthe art to construct and use the same.

This invention relates to an extension stepladder and its-object is to produce a stepladder, which will be capable of use as an extension ladder and in other ways as willbe explained herein.

v Another object of the invention is to produce an extension step-ladder which can be manufactured at less cost and which will be more reliable and more easily operated, than most extension step ladders now in use.

A further object of the invention is to produce an extension step ladder which may be used on stair-ways or in other places where it may be necessary to have the foot of one pair of legs placed in a different plane from the foot of the other pair of legs, as for example, the foot of one pair of legs is placed on the floor and the foot of the other pair of legs is placed upon a flight of stairs.

In the drawings in which the same nu meral of reference is applied to the same portion throughout the several'views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the ladder in use as a step ladder. Fig. '2 is a side elevation of the ladder in use upon a stair way, this ladder being specially adapted for use in papering and tinting hall ways, where it is,

necessary to reach to the ceiling above the steps. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the ladder in use as an extension ladder. Fig. 4; is a plan View of the ladder when in position as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the ladder on the line X X. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the bracket used to secure the two parts of the ladder together. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the side brackets at the top of the ladder.

The numeral 1 represents the side rails of the front part of the ladder, steps 2 connecting the side rails, a wide step 3 being placed at the top of the rails 1. At the top of the two rails on the side thereof is a backwardly extending bracket 4:, said bracket having a notch 6 therein, a slot 7 and a curved pocket 8 at the bottom of slot 7.

The back portion of the ladder is made of rails 5, connected by means of rungs 9. This portion of the ladder has a plate 10 secured at the top of the rails 5, said plate having lugs 11 and-12 thereon. The brackets 4; are

secured together by means of a bblt22; Said On each rail '1 there is a clamp 16, which clamp has its end 1'? far enough away from the rail 1 to pass over the channel iron 15, as indicated in Fig. 3,"to hold the two parts of the ladder in the osition indicated in Fig. '3. Pivoted on the inside of each rail 1 is a hook 18, the two hooks being connected by means of a bar 19. These two hooks hold the two parts of theladder in desired extension, as is indicated in F ig. 8.

In use the ladder may be swung to the position in Fig.1. a The lug 11 will move into the pocket at the bottom of the slot 6 and the lug 12 will move into the pocket 8 at the bottom of the-slot 7, thus determining the amount of spread of the two parts of the ladder. When it is desired to use the ladder on a stair-way, as indicated in Fig. 2, the rear ladder rails 5 are brought up to the r'ails'l and the lugs 11 and 12 are lifted,

out of the slots 6 and 7, whereupon the lad' der may be shifted to the position shown in Fig. 2, the square end 20 of the bracket 4: bearing in any of the notches- 30 in the wedge of the rails 5, to prevent the two parts of theladder changing their relative posi tion, after havingonce been set as indicated.

When in this position the channel irons 15 slide into grooves 14 on the inside of brackets 1, if it is desired to move the ladder 5 still higher than is shown in Fig. 2. Should it be desired to use the ladder as an extension ladder, the rails'may be moved as indicated in Fig. 3, any one of the rungs thereof being placed above the hook members 18. When in this position the channel irons 1-5 are held by means of the groove 13 and clamp 16, thus making the ladder substantially as rigid as if made in one part.

Itwill be clear from the number of ad justments provided upon this ladder that it has a wide field for use.

In order to' insure holding the two parts of the ladder in their relative position, the rails 5 are provided with a number of notches 30, as shown in Fig. 2. The notches 30 in the stile 1 take against the corner of the upperend of the stile members 1, the

brackets 4: being in contact with the outside of the stiles 1 and 5.

While the ladder shown illustrates a comparatively short ladder,'it will beclear that the length thereof may be varied to suit.

conditions. It will also be-clear that when the ladder 5 and ladder 1 are in their most extended positions, that is, when the bottom of the ladder is up close to the top of the ladder 1, either assshown in Fig. 2, or as shown inFig. 5, that. it is necessary for the railsto engage the inside of the grooves 13 or 14: as the case may be in order to give the two parts of the ladder the necessary. rigidity.

Having thus described my invention what 7 I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-.

tersPatent of the United States, is as,

follows 1. In a step ladder, two ladder members,

each having a set of steps, two oppositely placed slotted brackets securedat the top ofone' member, twoiop'positely placed plates 1 each having two lugs thereon whicheooperwith each other, asdescribed. a 2. In a step ladder, two laddermembers each havinga series of steps, two oppositely placed slotted brackets secured at the top of one of said members, lugs at the top of the other member, a guide on, each side of one of said members, said. guides being adapted to pass through saidbrackets at two different angles, and means to hold thetwo ladder members in several difierent heights relative to each other, as described.

3.. In a step ladder, twoladder members each having a series of steps, two oppositely placed slotted brackets at the top of one of said members, two oppositely placed plates each having lugs thereon at the top of the other ladder member, guides on the side of the second member, means to hold said members in any desired longitudinal adjustment when lying in substantially the same plane, andmeans whereby the two members may be secured in a plurality of adjustments when lying at an acute angle to each other, as described.

1. In a step ladder, two ladder members each having a set of steps, oppositely placed slotted brackets secured at the to of one of said members, oppositely placed plates secured at the top of the other member, lugs on the latter plates to hinge the second memher to the brackets secured to the first member, and to prevent the two members from being separated more than a given angle,the second member having notches to permit the two ladder members to be placed in varying.

relative longitudinal adjustments when lying at an acute angle to each other, as described.

5. In a step ladder, two ladder members, brackets secured at the top of one member, plates secured at the top of the other member, lugs carried by said plates to hinge the two memberstogether the second members having notches whereb may be secured in a number of difierent adjustments when the lugs are disengaged and the two ladder members are lying at an acute angle to each other, as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of October A. D. 1911, in the presence of the two subscribed witnesses.

- AUGUST'O. TANNENBERG. Witnesses:

(LR. BOWEN, GEO. MCDONALD. I

7 Copies of'this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

y the two members. 

